High Wind in Oregon, January 1, 2009

AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
350 AM PST THU JAN 1 2009

UPDATED AVIATION DISCUSSION

.SHORT TERM...TODAY THROUGH FRIDAY...THE NEXT LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM IS
APPROACHING THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST CURRENTLY. A WARM FRONT IS PUSHING
PRECIPITATION ONSHORE ACROSS WESTERN OREGON AND WASHINGTON. AHEAD OF
THIS FRONT...PRECIPITATION IS INCREASING ACROSS EASTERN OREGON AND
WASHINGTON...WITH SNOW BEING REPORTED EAST OF WASHINGTON CASCADES
AND IN THE BLUE MOUNTAINS...AND RAIN IN THE COLUMBIA BASIN AND
FOOTHILLS. PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE TODAY AS THE WARM
FRONT PUSHES THROUGH THE AREA. SNOW LEVELS WILL START OUT LOW AND
THEN RISE SIGNIFICANTLY LATER THIS MORNING AND THIS AFTERNOON...WITH
SNOW LEVELS AROUND 5000-6000 FEET ACROSS MOST OF THE REGION. SNOW
LEVELS WILL BE SLOWER TO RISE ALONG THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
WASHINGTON CASCADES AS COOLER AIR REMAINS OVER THE AREA.
THEREFORE...THE SNOW ADVISORY FOR EAST SLOPES OF THE WASHINGTON
CASCADES AND THE KITTITAS VALLEY LOOK GOOD FOR THIS MORNING. HAVE
ADDED YAKIMA VALLEY TO THE ADVISORY AS WELL AS THE WESTERN VALLEY
STILL REMAINS COLD WITH LOWER SNOW LEVELS. THE NORTHERN BLUE
MOUNTAINS WILL ALSO CONTINUE TO SEE SNOW THIS MORNING...AND THUS
HAVE EXTENDED THAT ADVISORY UNTIL LATER THIS MORNING...AFTER WHICH
THE RISING SNOW LEVELS WILL SWITCH THE PRECIPITATION TYPE TO RAIN.

ANOTHER CONCERN WITH THIS SYSTEM IS THE WINDS. 850 MB WINDS ARE VERY
STRONG ACROSS CENTRAL AND NORTH CENTRAL OREGON THIS MORNING AND OVER
MOST OF THE AREA TODAY. A HIGH WIND WARNING WILL BE ISSUED FOR NORTH
CENTRAL...CENTRAL OREGON AND THE CONDON AREA FOR TODAY THROUGH
TOMORROW MORNING AS THESE LOCATIONS HAVE THE BEST CHANCE FOR THE
HIGHER WIND SPEEDS TO MIX DOWN DUE TO MOUNTAIN WAVES. FURTHER
EAST...WIND ADVISORY LEVEL WINDS CAN BE EXPECTED IN THE
FOOTHILLS...AND THE JOHN DAY VALLEY. AS WIND ADVISORIES ARE NOT
ISSUED FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS...SUCH AS THE JOHN DAY AND OCHOCO
HIGHLANDS...NO HIGHLIGHTS WILL BE PUT THERE FOR NOW. THE COLUMBIA
BASIN AND AREAS NORTH WILL SEE MORE STABLE AIR...KEEPING THE WINDS
FROM MIXING DOWN TO THE SURFACE TODAY.

THE COLD FRONT WITH THIS SYSTEM WILL MOVE THROUGH THE AREA EARLY
FRIDAY MORNING. SOUTHERLY PRESSURE GRADIENTS WILL TIGHTEN AHEAD OF
THIS FRONT...BRINGING VERY WINDY CONDITIONS TO THE GRANDE RONDE AND
WALLOWA VALLEYS. WIND ADVISORIES WILL BE ISSUE FOR THESE TWO
LOCATIONS FOR THE OVERNIGHT AND INTO FRIDAY MORNING TIME PERIOD.
WINDS WILL SWITCH TO MORE WESTERLY BEHIND THE COLD FRONT FRIDAY
MORNING...BRINGING BREEZY CONDITIONS TO THE COLUMBIA BASIN AND
COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE...THOUGH BELIEVE WIND SPEEDS WILL REMAIN BELOW
ADVISORY LEVEL. WINDS ACROSS THE REGION ARE EXPECTED TO DECREASE
DURING THE DAY FRIDAY AS THE SYSTEM MOVES OFF TO THE EAST. DMH

.LONG TERM...NO CHANGES WERE MADE TO THE EXTENDED. THE PREVIOUS LONG
TERM DISCUSSION WILL FOLLOW.

PREV DISCUSSION... /ISSUED 345 PM PST WED DEC 31 2008/

.LONG TERM...FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH WEDNESDAY.  A FAST PROGRESSIVE
FLOW ALOFT AND PACIFIC FRONTAL SYSTEMS BACK-TO-BACK CAN BE EXPECTED
THROUGH THE LONG TERM PERIOD.  THERE WILL BE 6-12 HOUR BREAKS FROM
TIME TO TIME...BUT OVERALL THE CHANCE OF PRECIPITATION IS LIKELY
OVER THE MOUNTAINS AND THE CASCADE EAST SLOPES WITH 20-40 POPS
ELSEWHERE.  WINDS ALOFT WILL REMAIN STRONG THROUGH MOST OF THE
PERIOD...THUS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR BREEZY TO WINDY CONDITIONS IN
THE FORECAST AREA.  SNOW LEVELS WILL ALSO FLUCTUATE DURING THE
EXTENDED PERIOD.  JOHNSON

&&

.AVIATION...12Z TAFS...WARM FRONT HAS BROUGHT CIGS DOWN TO IFR AND
MVFR AT KPDT KALW AND KDLS. EXPECT THESE CONDITIONS TO CONTINUE FOR
THE NEXT FEW HOURS WITH OTHER TERMINALS EXPECTED TO GET IN ON THE
ACT SHORTLY. DO EXPECT A COUPLE INCHES OF SNOW ACCUMULATION AT KYKM
DURING THE MORNING HOURS BEFORE TEMPERATURES WARM AND WINDS
INCREASE. EXPECT WINDS TO INCREASE AT ALL TERMINALS AROUND THE 16TO
19Z TIMEFRAME WHERE SUSTAINED 15 TO 25 KTS WILL BE PREVALENT. EXPECT
HIGHEST SPEEDS AND GUSTS TO OCCUR AT KRDM THIS AFTERNOON WITH
SUSTAINED OF AT LEAST 25KTS WITH GUSTS TO AROUND 40KTS. DO EXPECT
MECHANICAL LLWS TO OCCUR MAINLY ALONG THE CASCADE EAST SLOPES WITH
MOST SIGNIFICANT IMPACT VCTY OF KRDM. WINDS WILL DECREASE SOMEWHAT
MOST TAF LOCATIONS LATER TONIGHT. COLD FRONT WILL THEN BEGIN
CROSSING THE REGION LATE TONIGHT BRINGING ANOTHER ROUND OF IFR
CIGS/VSBYS AND LIKELY LIFR CIGS TO KALW. /JBONK

&&

.PRELIMINARY POINT TEMPS/POPS...
PDT  51  39  41  25 /  90  60  50  20
ALW  49  40  41  27 /  90  70  50  20
PSC  48  39  41  25 /  80  50  20  10
YKM  37  28  34  19 /  90  50  20  10
HRI  49  41  41  25 /  80  60  30  10
ELN  36  30  30  18 /  90  50  30  20
RDM  53  30  38  17 /  60  60  50  20
LGD  41  33  41  24 /  80  60  50  30
GCD  45  37  39  25 /  60  60  60  30
DLS  48  37  42  26 /  90  60  30  20

&&

.PDT WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
OR...WIND ADVISORY FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR
     ORZ049-050.

     HIGH WIND WARNING FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR
     ORZ042-043-504.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR ORZ502.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR
     ORZ501-505.

WA...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 1 PM PST THIS AFTERNOON FOR WAZ026-
     027-501-502.

     WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING FOR WAZ030.

     WIND ADVISORY FROM 7 AM THIS MORNING TO 10 AM PST FRIDAY FOR
     WAZ029.

&&

TI:RYG
FOR ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION, CHECK OUR WEB SITE AT...
WWW.WEATHER.GOV/PENDLETON
84/87

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK...UPDATED
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE PENDLETON OR
650 AM PST THU JAN 1 2009

UPDATED TO ADD COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE SNOW ADVISORY

ORZ041>044-049-050-501>506-WAZ024-026>030-501-502-021315-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON-NORTH CENTRAL OREGON-
CENTRAL OREGON-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF OREGON-GRANDE RONDE VALLEY-
WALLOWA COUNTY-FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
SOUTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON-
NORTHERN WHEELER AND SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES-JOHN DAY BASIN-
OCHOCO-JOHN DAY HIGHLANDS-
EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF WASHINGTON-KITTITAS VALLEY-
YAKIMA VALLEY-LOWER COLUMBIA BASIN OF WASHINGTON-
FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE MOUNTAINS OF WASHINGTON-
NORTHWEST BLUE MOUNTAINS-
EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
EAST SLOPES OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON-
650 AM PST THU JAN 1 2009

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST OREGON
AS WELL AS SOUTH CENTRAL AND SOUTHEAST WASHINGTON.

.DAY ONE...TODAY AND TONIGHT

SNOW
     EAST SLOPES OF THE CENTRAL CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EAST SLOPES
     OF THE SOUTHERN CASCADES OF WASHINGTON, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER
     GORGE OF WASHINGTON, KITTITAS VALLEY, YAKIMA VALLEY, NORTHWEST
     BLUE MOUNTAINS, EASTERN COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE OF OREGON,
     NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS OF OREGON

STRONG WIND
     NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND
     SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES

PRECIPITATION WILL CONTINUE TO INCREASE AHEAD OF A WARM FRONT
TODAY...WITH SNOW CONTINUING JUST EAST OF THE CASCADE
MOUNTAINS...AND ALONG THE NORTHERN BLUE MOUNTAINS. A WINTER STORM
WARNING AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE IN EFFECT TODAY...PLEASE
REFER TO PRODUCT ID PDXWSWPDT FOR MORE DETAILS.

SNOW LEVELS WILL INCREASE WITH A WARM FRONT TODAY...CHANGING SNOW TO
RAIN ACROSS MUCH OF THE REGION BY THIS AFTERNOON. WINDS WILL ALSO BE
ON THE INCREASE...ESPECIALLY ACROSS NORTH CENTRAL...CENTRAL OREGON
AND IN THE CONDON AREA. HIGHER WINDS ALOFT MAY MIX DOWN TO THE
SURFACE...CAUSING STRONG WINDS IN AREAS. THESE LOCATIONS ARE UNDER A
HIGH WIND WARNING. ELSEWHERE...ALONG THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS SOUTH AND EAST...AS WELL AS THE EAST SLOPES OF THE
SOUTHERN CASCADES...CONDITIONS WILL BE VERY WINDY. A WIND ADVISORY
IS IN EFFECT FOR THE JOHN DAY BASIN...THE FOOTHILLS OF THE BLUE
MOUNTAINS...AND THE GRANDE RONDE AND WALLOWA VALLEYS. PLEASE REFER
TO PRODUCT ID PDXNPWPDT FOR MORE DETAILS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...FRIDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY

STRONG WIND FRIDAY
     NORTH CENTRAL OREGON, CENTRAL OREGON, NORTHERN WHEELER AND
     SOUTHERN GILLIAM COUNTIES

A COLD FRONT WILL MOVE THROUGH THE REGION EARLY FRIDAY
MORNING...KEEPING PRECIPITATION GOING ACROSS THE AREA. SNOW LEVELS
WILL LOWER TO 2000-3000 FEET...WITH RAIN TURNING TO SNOW BY FRIDAY
NIGHT FOR THE HIGHER ELEVATIONS. WINDS WILL SWITCH TO THE WEST
BEHIND THE FRONT IN THE AFTERNOON...WITH BREEZY CONDITIONS EXPECTED
ACROSS THE COLUMBIA RIVER GORGE...BASIN AND FOOTHILLS. UNSETTLED
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND INTO
NEXT WEEK.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE REQUIRED FOR SNOW TODAY AND WIND TODAY
THROUGH FRIDAY MORNING.

WEATHER SPOTTERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO REPORT SIGNIFICANT WEATHER
CONDITIONS ACCORDING TO STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURES.

GRAPHICAL FORECASTS OF WEATHER HAZARDS OUT TO SEVEN DAYS
ARE DISPLAYED ON THE WORLD WIDE WEB AT:

WWW.WRH.NOAA.GOV/PDT/CURRENTHAZARDS/HWO.HTML

ALL LETTERS IN THE ABOVE URL ARE LOWER CASE...EXCEPT THE H IN
CURRENTHAZARDS.